How I Hustle (The No Cringe Way)

I used to really dislike the word hustle. The word itself made me think fake, inauthentic and desperate. Then I realised hustling is no bad thing. Everyone does it. Whether we are trying to land a new job, make a good impression, increase our blog stats or move our business forward we are all in fact doing it. There is a way to do it that feels good and a way to do it that feels like work and pressure. So here is how I hustle in 5 easy steps without the cringe.

Step 1 Show Up

Sometimes you won’t feel like it. When I was doing the 7 Day Vlogging Challenge by day 5 I’d hit a brick wall. My confidence started to crumble, I didn’t feel well and quite frankly I wanted to quit. I couldn’t. I’d organised the whole thing. Had it not been my challenge I wouldn’t have completed it. Luckily as it was my challenge, I had to show up and I’m so glad I did. Day 5 ended up being my most successful video of the whole week. Day 6 I was still struggling and I procrastinated. I didn’t get anything started till late, but after pushing through I felt better. I finished day 7 with my favourite video of the whole challenge. When I asked you all, it was your favourite too. Oh yeah! Day 6 I thought the video was horrendous. Total cringe material in fact, but it was all I could manage. What happened after I published that video? Someone messaged me to thank me. The video had helped them that day. Sometimes all that’s needed is your honestly and authenticity. Things don’t have to be perfect, to be great.

Step 2 Inspired Action

You can’t force something to take off, but you can do the work and allow things to happen naturally. Whatever action is inspiring me is the root I take. That way it’s enjoyable. Everyone keeps telling me I need to be on Pinterest to grow my blog. Truthfully right now the thought of starting another social media account (when I don’t feel I’ve fully mastered the ones I’ve got), just feels like another to do list. Another chore. Your work should feel inspiring and light. I’m a firm believer in your vibe attracts your tribe. Have fun with it.

Step 3 Believe

If its your door it will open. Right now this is my favourite quote. It’s so easy to grind, but if you don’t believe in yourself it’s never going to happen. Work on your self-esteem as part of your hustle strategy. It will take you far. I’m a big advocate of the self-help and personal development scene. We work on our business, family life, finances, fitness but quite often we neglect our mind. If our thoughts are funky nothing else feels good anyway. You’ll never feel successful with a negative mind.

Step 4 The Two H’s

Health & happiness. If you’re not looking after yourself you will eventually burn out. Physically and emotionally. You don’t have to workout everyday and always be in zen. You do need to take little steps everyday for your health and happiness. Lose either of those and what’s the point? If you’re not happy, your only hustle should be happiness. So ask yourself, what makes you happy and what doesn’t? Follow that path. Take steps to be healthy too, you’ll feel so much better for it and you’ll have more energy to do the work.

Step 5 Find Your Community

Without support and peers hustling can be lonely and uninspiring. Having people to bounce ideas off, pick you up when things are hard and generally just having someone root for you is priceless. I don’t know where I’d be without my community. I was lucky from the start to have a very supportive hubby, Mam and a few great friends who are like having my very own cheerleading quad. Yet, I still found it hard not having a community of people in the same field. I started supporting YouTubers and bloggers I didn’t know expecting nothing in return, just like you would a friend. I never mentioned myself, I would just show love for what they do. I saw it as developing social skills and spreading a little love. A small percentage of those showed support back and before I knew it I had friends in the same field. Now I even have my own Facebook group for UK lifestyle bloggers and YouTubers.